Rockabye
by Bucken-Berry
Summary: Something special happens to Elliot and George. This story contains MPreg.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, wouldja look at that. My first attempt at an M-preg story! I think this is the first one that's been written for SVU, too. Let me know what you think!  
If you don't like M-preg, please don't hurt me. *Cowers*

* * *

Elliot was having a nice dream. He was straddling George and pounding into him mercilessly, causing him to moan Elliot's name breathlessly.

Elliot groaned softly and gave another rough thrust. George whimpered and cried, "Elliot!"

"You like that?" Elliot growled.

"God, yes!" George gasped. "Elliot!"

Elliot was suddenly aware of his neck being kissed and bit, which made no sense, because George was lying on his back. He paused and blinked confusedly.

Elliot woke up and opened his eyes. George was lying on top of him, smirking and sucking on Elliot's neck. "You were moaning. Were you dreaming about naughty things?" He teased.

"No, I was dreaming about nice things," Elliot replied.

"I can tell," George murmured huskily. He pressed his hip against Elliot's erection, rubbing to increase Elliot's arousal. Elliot groaned at the friction the movement created. "Anything you dreamed that's worth sharing?"

Elliot grinned. "The whole thing, really," He said. He pulled George in for a long, lusty kiss, continuing to grind his erection into George's thigh.

He reached between them and grabbed George's half-hard cock, giving a few rough stroked. "God yes, Elliot," George gasped. Elliot rolled them over so that he was on top. George immediately pushed his legs apart, allowing Elliot to settle between them.

He pumped George faster and harder, and fumbled his other hand towards the nightstand, searching for the bottle of lube. He found it and coated his fingers with a generous amount. He watched George squirm in anticipation, and he smirked, taking as long as he could to move his hands towards George's ass.

He finally found George's entrance. He began to rub, knowing how worked up it would get George. George pushed frantically against his fingers, but Elliot continued to rub the outer rim teasingly until George was quivering with need.

"Fuck me, Elliot!" George cried, closing his eyes. "Please, please fuck me!"

Elliot slowly inserted one finger, savoring the breathless pants and groans. Then he added another, stretching George further. He waited for George's muscles to relax, allowing him to push his fingers deeper inside him.

George sucked in a breath and arched off the bed, and Elliot knew he'd found George's prostate. He pressed again, firmer and rougher.

"Fuck me, Elliot!" George pleaded, desperately. "I want you in me!"

Elliot was powerless to resist. He yanked his fingers out and pressed the head of his cock to George's entrance. He pushed in, groaning at the tight heat that surrounded him. George gave a small gasp and arched his back again.

"You like that, baby?" Elliot whispered.

"Yes," George panted. Elliot smiled, sealing George's lips with his.

Then he began to pound into him, both of them moaning with each thrust.

George broke the kiss. "Elliot, I'm so close," He gasped. Elliot grabbed George's cock again and stroked it mercilessly in time with his thrusts.

"Elliot, I'm gonna come!" George cried. His body began to shake, breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Come for me, baby," Elliot growled into his ear. He bit the lobe, taking it in his mouth and sucking firmly.

"Ohhhh, Elliot!" George wailed. He gave a giant shudder as he went over the edge, body convulsing with pleasure.

The heat and tightness around Elliot's cock increased, tipping him over the edge. He spilled into George, groaning his name breathlessly.

They collapsed, panting for breath. After a few minutes George recovered and smiled, pulling Elliot into a gentle kiss.

"I love you," He sighed softly.

"You too," Elliot murmured. He stroked George's hair, nuzzling his neck.

George smiled and kissed him again before turning around in Elliot's arms. "You tired me out again."

"Mind-blowing sex can do that," Elliot laughed, kissing the back of George's neck.

"It wasn't THAT mind-blowing," George teased.

"Well then, I'll have to do even better next time, won't I?" Elliot asked lightly.

"Or something," George replied. He grabbed Elliot's arms as the wrapped around his chest. Being held like this gave him a cozy feeling. Moments like this almost made him wish he could just stay here forever.

Unfortunately, reality beckoned a few minutes later. George's pager beeped, informing him that a patient had an emergency. Even though it was technically his day off, an emergency was an emergency.

George gave a resigned sigh and stood, walking towards the closet to retrieve his slacks and dress shirt. He glanced out the window and silently nodded his head. It was early June; definitely too warm for his favorite sweater vest.

Once he was ready, he walked back into the bedroom. He shook Elliot's shoulder and said, "I have to go to Bellevue, a patient's having an emergency."

"Mm-hmm," Elliot hummed, more asleep than awake.

George placed a soft kiss on Elliot's forehead before leaving the house.

The next month was mostly uneventful, except for the fact that George could just tell that something was off. He couldn't place the feeling, but something was definitely wrong.

Sighing softly, he took a bite out of the burger Elliot had grilled for the Fourth of July barbecue. For a few moments, he watched with mild interest as Elliot played football with Dickie and Lizzie, before allowing his thoughts to roam.

He had just started his second burger when an overwhelming wave of nausea came over him. Gasping softly, he held his stomach and closed his eyes, trying to ease the sensation. It didn't go away, and he turned around from the table, vomiting onto the grass.

"George, you okay?" Elliot asked worriedly, running towards him.

George shook his head. "I think-" He vomited again- "I think something int he burgers made me sick."

Elliot frowned doubtfully. "The meat was still good when I took it out of the fridge, and I made sure I cooked it thoroughly."

"Then I must have gotten a bug from somewhere," George said.

"Maybe it's the heat. You should lie down inside," Elliot said.

George nodded. "I think I'll do that." He stood and walked back into the house.

He stuck his face in front of the air conditioner for a good five minutes before crawling onto his bed, eyes closing as fatigue overtook him.

Four days later, whatever bug George had caught was still in his system, and Elliot found himself growing more alarmed by the minute. George was beginning to grow dehydrated; he couldn't seem to keep anything down.

He walked into the bathroom as another round of retching started. "Okay, that's it," He said, shaking his head. "You're going to the ER."

"It's just a stomach flu," George protested.

"You don't have a fever," Elliot pointed out, setting a hand on George's forehead.

"Fine," George relented. "Just give me a minute."

Elliot nodded and moistened a face cloth, setting on George's neck and rubbing gently. After a while George stood, allowing Elliot to place a hand under his shoulders to guide him to the car.

After waiting for several hours, George was finally called back to be examined.

"He's been throwing up for four days straight," Elliot said while the doctor checked George's ears for signs of infection. "He got sick at a barbecue, and I would say it was the food if someone else had gotten sick."

"We're going to run some bloodwork and such," The doctor told him. "And we're going to have to admit him so we can keep him hydrated."

Elliot nodded, giving George a worried look.

They got George settled in his thankfully air conditioned room. They inserted an IV with several bags of fluid, and some anti-nausea medicine.

Elliot sat down next to him and hugged him tightly. "You okay?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Elliot," George said, to reassure himself as much as Elliot. He supposed this was the reason for the feeling he'd had right before he'd gotten sick.

"Yeah," Elliot agreed. They turned the TV on and began to watch some old cartoons. It lightened the mood slightly, and soon they almost forgot about their concerns.

After a while, a nurse walked in and checked George's vitals. Then she said, "Bloodwork came back normal, so we're going to run an MRI and a few other tests."

They moved George from room to room, running so many tests that George lost count of them. Elliot held his hand for some of them, while others required that only George and the technicians remain in the room.

"Are we done yet?" George asked after the MRI.

"Yep," The nurse affirmed.

Elliot embraced George tightly, and George knew he was worried. "Hey, whatever it is, we can work through it," George murmured reassuringly.

They finally returned George to his room. He rested his head on Elliot's shoulder, and he closed his eyes in weariness.

He must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes, night had fallen. Elliot shook his shoulder and told him, "Wake up, a doctor's here to talk to you."

George looked at the doctor and saw that there was an odd look on his face. He didn't look grim like he would if he was going to say something was wrong, but he didn't look like he was going to say everything was normal, either.

"What did you find?" Elliot asked, squeezing George's hand to vent his nerves.

The doctor inhaled deeply and warned, "This is probably going to be a bit of a shock."

"Okay, what?" George asked, getting worried now. "What's going on?"

"You're pregnant," The doctor deadpanned.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming! This chapter may be a little boring because most of it is an explanation for how George can get pregnant, but I tried to keep it moving along. I really don't think my explanation is too logical, but I'm going to try my best. :)

* * *

"P... Pregnant?" George asked. He burst out laughing. "Okay, yeah, that would makes sense except for the fact that I'm a _man!_ I don't have a uterus or ovaries or anything!"

Elliot nodded his agreement and added, "That was a really funny joke and all, but you should tell us what's really wrong now."

The doctor sighed and sat down. "It's not a joke," He said. "You truly are pregnant. About one month along."

"Okay, well, I know for a fact I'm not a woman," George said. Elliot was surprised at how level-headed both of them were being. Either they were being messed with, or George really was pregnant; either situation justified a little anger, but they stayed calm.

"I can testify to that," Elliot said, laughing slightly.

The doctor explained,"This is a new problem we're seeing in men. You are partially correct; you are still, technically, a man. However, your body has started making egg cells in addition to sperm, and you've grown a uterus, which is what allowed you to become pregnant."

"So you've seen this before?" George asked skeptically.

The doctor nodded. "We've seen about one thousand cases already."

"One thousand?" George asked. "But why hasn't this been in the news? You would think pregnant men would be a huge story."

"It will be," The doctor assured them. "We tried to keep it secret for a while, but now there's just too many cases. The health department will be making a press release in a week or so."

George and Elliot took this in for a moment. Then Elliot asked, "How is this possible? How could George have just suddenly gotten female parts?"

Sighing softly, the doctor began, "This is a long explanation, so bear with me."

George and Elliot nodded silently. Elliot squeezed George's shoulders and started to knead them- he had probably intended to massage them, but his nerves and anxiety cause him to make the motions much rougher.

"A few months ago," The doctor said, "A man came in with complaints similar to yours. We spent several months searching for an explanation, and, finally, performed an ultrasound. It was them that we discovered a fetus in his abdomen. Upon further examination, we deduced that, due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors, the man started growing female sex organs. While one of his testicles continued to produce sperm, the other produces egg cells."

George blinked confusedly. Elliot inhaled and continued to vent his nerves on George's shoulders. The doctor continued, "The only comparison we can come up with is the fish who have become feminized because of pollution in the rivers. They even began to lay eggs; similar to what is happening to you and the other men. Part of it is genetic, as well; of all the men we've seen this far, all of them have a certain genetic mutation."

George looked into his lap and swallowed hard, suddenly having to fight the urge to cry. "So... am I going to become female?" He asked. His voice was a sad whisper.

"No. Except for your uterus and the one testicle, everything else is the same," The doctor assured him.

"I'm not... going to grow breasts?" George asked.

The doctor nodded. "You aren't."

George glanced at Elliot, who hadn't said anything the last few minutes, and said, "I don't want to tell anyone I'm pregnant. I don't want to try and explain where the baby came from. I don't want to go through pregnancy AT ALL, actually. Is there a way to... um... well, get an abortion?"

George knew that Elliot had strictly traditional views on most things- even getting him to accept homosexuality had taken a long time- but he hoped Elliot would understand this. He studied Elliot's face, and saw a disproving but understanding expression.

"George, I think we should-" Elliot began.

"Elliot, I really don't want this," George protested. "This isn't right."

"Unfortunately," The doctor said gently, "There isn't a way for pregnant men to get abortions."

George sighed softly and looked down again. "Okay, then I'll hide the pregnancy and then give it up for adoption."

"George, how are you going to hide the pregnancy? The... shape of a pregnant stomach isn't right to say you just haven't been exercising."

"I'll think of something," George snapped.

"George, please," Elliot said, stepping in front of George and looking right into his eyes. "Please reconsider. We'll work through this," Elliot said.

"WE!" George exclaimed, feeling a sudden rush of anger that made his blood boil. "WE! You're not the one who's just learned that he's a fucking MUTANT and has to carry a baby, despite having thought all his life that he wouldn't have to! You aren't the one who's going to have to deal with all the staring and pointing and laughing! You're not the one who's going to have to deal with people who say that this isn't natural! There's going to be groups that say it's harmful to homosexuals, and groups that say it isn't natural and god is going to send some kind of punishment for this! That's the reaction people ALWAYS have at this sort of thing!"

He took a sharp breath and continued before Elliot could say anything. "How is this going to be US, Elliot? No one is going to take me seriously anymore! I can keep it secret, but once I start showing, once I tell them, they're going to lose any respect they may have had for me! Let's say our co-workers are accepting. You can't expect me to be able to get a fucking serial killer to confess to a pregnant man! You haven't even told anyone we're together yet, but I have to tell people I'm a fucking mutated pregnant man!"

Panting for breath, George jerked himself out of Elliot's grasp. He grabbed his IV pole and used it to walk to the other side of the room. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms over his chest.

"George," Elliot whispered, "I'll be here for you. I'll help you through the pregnancy. I'll tell everyone about us, and if anyone acts like a dick, I'll kick their ass. I'll raise this baby with you, and I'll make sure Maureen, Kathleen, Dickie, and Lizzie treat him or her a brother or sister."

"I don't want it, Elliot!" George cried. "I'm a man! I'm not supposed to get pregnant. I don't even know how the hell it's going to get out-"

"Um," The doctor coughed awkwardly, "That's one thing you don't have to worry about. We performed c-sections in all the cases we've seen thus far."

George bared his teeth and said, "That's even worse! I have to deal with that, AND THEN I have to get surgery!"

"George, please. For me?" Elliot pleaded. "I really want to do this."

"After Kathy left, you said you didn't want any more kids," George reminded him.

"No, but I want this baby. I want to raise a child with you," Elliot said. "I... Yes, this is all weird and bizarre and we're both probably going to lose it at least once before this is over. But I want this more than I've wanted anything before."

George found himself surprised by the tone of Elliot's voice, and the expression on his face. Elliot was sincere about this; he truly wanted him to have this baby, he wanted both of them to be fathers... even though it would be so difficult.

George swallowed visibly. He knew he would be miserable, because of his physical condition, what his pregnancy meant, and the inevitable reaction most of society would have. "I... oh, okay," George relented. "I'll do this. For you."

"For us," Elliot said, shaking his head. "Don't just do this for me. Do this for you, too."

George didn't have a reason to want the baby; he only wanted it because Elliot did, but he still said, "Okay. I want this, Elliot."

George glanced at the door and saw the doctor leaving. Elliot walked towards him and pulled him into a soft kiss. He wrapped his arms around George's waist, and let George's arms wrap around his neck.

Elliot pulled away and pressed his hand to George's stomach. "Hi, baby," He whispered. His eyes were wet.

Watching the raw emotion Elliot was displaying, George began to wonder if he might like this after all. He grabbed Elliot's hand and pushed it aside, so that he could set his hand next to Elliot's. "Hi, baby," He whispered.

It still didn't feel right to him. Elliot seemed to be accepting it too easily; it seemed like he was reacting just like he would if it was a woman telling him this. But George knew it wasn't quite the same. A woman wouldn't have to accept that she her gender had changed, at least partially.

Elliot let go of his stomach and pulled George into a tight embrace. He lifted him and carried him towards the hospital bed, gently setting him down and lying next to him. "We're going to have a baby of our own," Elliot murmured happily.

"Yeah," George muttered in response. Elliot wrapped his hands around his waist and pulled him closer, letting George lie half on top of him. He kissed George again, tenderly, passionately.

"I love you. George, this will work. It'll be really complicated, I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but it'll work. I promise," Elliot vowed.

George gave a soft smile. "I know. I love you too."

A wave of exhaustion came over him. He closed his eyes and relaxed into Elliot's hold, allowing himself to drift off, despite the desire to talk more to Elliot.

On the other hand, he thought, they had nine months- well, eight, since he was one month along- to figure it out.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

* * *

George woke up with that "wrong" feeling that meant something had happened that had upset him greatly, but he couldn't remember what. He frowned, trying to remember. He was cuddled next to Elliot, so it hadn't been a fight with him...

Then he felt the IV in his wrist, and the memories came crashing back over him. He was _pregnant. _It was possible and illogical and ridiculous and distressing, but it was _true._

He didn't want to have a baby. He didn't want to experience morning sickness- well, he already had, technically, but he didn't want to continue- he didn't want to have backaches and sore legs and feet, he didn't want strange cravings, he didn't want to gain weight and become so hormonal that he was an emotional wreck. He didn't want to have people rioting over this new situation, and he didn't want to be jeered at when his belly got big. He didn't want the risks of a c-section and he didn't want a newborn living in his house. Elliot's kids were okay, but they weren't babies. Maureen was twenty-two, Kathleen was seventeen, and Dickie and Lizzie were thirteen- the only problems George and Elliot had were their attitudes, really.

Elliot wrapped his arm around George's narrow waist, pulling him closer and kissing his forehead. "Are you okay?" He asked softly.

"Yeah," George replied. "I... we need to talk about this, though."

For the first time in the history of their relationship, Elliot didn't object to the idea, even though it would probably end up with George trying to get in his head. "Okay. Do you want to start?" He asked. "I can tell this is bothering you."

"Obviously it is," George grumbled. "I just... this doesn't feel right. And I thought you would think that it wasn't right for men to have babies!"

"I..." Elliot paused, trying to word his thoughts. "We didn't do anything to try and make it happen; it just did. So I don't think we did anything wrong- God's plan is just a little different for us, and the other men this is happening to, than what we thought it was."

Staring down at his stomach, George said, flatly, "I think God's plan must be to use me to make other people laugh as much as possible. Once I start showing, I'm going to look fucking hilarious. It'll make the serial killers I treat really eager to open up, too." He could picture the bulge of pregnancy on his stomach already, and he hated the idea. On women, it was sort of cute, and he always smiled inwardly when he saw a pregnant woman holding her stomach as she walked, or someone rubbing a woman's stomach. But he didn't want that to happen to his body.

"George, I know it won't be easy, especially once you have to tell people. You're right that it'll be much harder on you than me. But I am going to do everything I can to support you. I'll find a way to make sure your patients still respect you, and I'm going to tell _everyone _who looks at you funny that they're insulting my lover, and I don't take kindly to that. I'm going to tell everyone we know about our relationship and that that baby is mine. I'm going to support you and the baby every way I can," Elliot promised.

"Thank you, Elliot," George said, touched. "But still, I just... I don't _want _a baby. I thought we would just get your kids out of the house and then..." He shrugged. "I don't want to be pregnant and I don't want anything that happens after. And, honestly..." He tried to compose himself better for a moment. "Your kids are one thing, because they're already teenagers and most of the work is already done, and what isn't, still isn't anything I have to deal with. But this is a child of our own, and I'm not sure I'll be good at parenting him or her."

"You're already a great step-father to the kids," Elliot said. "And you'll be a great father to this baby."

"Elliot, your kids don't think of me that way. I know you're trying to make me feel good, and I appreciate that, but your family is so traditional... Kathy may accept us, but it's hard for your kids to think of their father as bisexual after all these years, and as a result, I become a target for their bitterness, because in their mind, if I wasn't here, you would still be with Kathy. It's like what any kid feels when a divorced parent gets with someone else, amplified by ten because it changes their perception of you so much," George said quietly. He fiddled with the tape holding the IV in place at his wrist.

Elliot cupped George's cheeks. He kissed him gently and said, "But even if they don't see you that way, you're still a good parent to them. And this baby will be ours from the start. Think about it, George!"

Seeing the excitement on Elliot's face, George almost felt guilty for the remaining apprehension he felt. And yet, Elliot's excitement was part of the problem. "Elliot, I just don't understand why you're so happy right away. I thought you didn't want any more kids, and I thought you wanted to keep our relationship a secret from as many people as possible. And that's sort of what I wanted, too, quite honestly."

"I..." Elliot trailed off. Sighing softly, he murmured, "I did want it, I really did. But... I'm sort of starting to feel that empty-nest thing. Even if the twins are only thirteen, Maureen's moved and out and Kathleen will in a year or two, and the twins will in five or six years. On the one hand, I don't want any more kids, but on the other hand, I love kids and I don't really want to have an empty house- well, empty except for us. Even if they have grandchildren someday, it wouldn't be the same. I wasn't about to ask you to adopt a child or anything, but now that this is happening, I'm really happy." He looked George in the eye and added, "And I think, if you give this idea a chance to grow on you, you'll find that it's a blessing in disguise."

George exhaled slowly, taking his time to take it in. "I... I suppose. I'll give it a chance. But Elliot, why didn't you tell me any of that sooner?"

"Like I said, there wasn't really anything it could have accomplished. But now we're going to have a baby of our own, and they'll be the happiest kid on the planet- even despite the, um, unusual circumstances." He kissed George's forehead and said, "George, baby, this is going to be weird and complicated and really frustrating, but this is the happiest I've felt since we got together. I want this more than I've wanted anything in a long time."

Elliot slipped his hand under George's hospital gown, causing George to shiver slightly, and rubbed George's stomach. "I always knew that getting with you was the best decision I'd ever make," Elliot whispered. "I promise, as soon as you adjust a little, this won't be so bad. And, think about all the things we can do together- both during the pregnancy and after the baby is born. It's going to be amazing, baby, and I want to share it with you."

George was finally convinced that Elliot could help him adjust. He smiled then, and said, "I believe you. I need a little more time to warm up to the idea, because I sort of like the shape my stomach is now-" He laughed softly- "But I think I'll warm up to the idea soon."

He reached under his gown too, setting his hand under Elliot's. He was one month along, so the baby was little more than a mass of cells at the moment, but he knew that in a few months he would be able to feel it.

Elliot removed his hand and grasped George's face, fingers curling to hold his jaw. He nipped at George's chin, eliciting a small moan, before pulling him into a passionate, blazing kiss. "You're amazing. I love you," Elliot whispered, pressing his forehead against George's.

"You too," George murmured, grabbing Elliot's hands and lacing their fingers. He sat in Elliot's lap, wrapping his arms around his neck to kiss him again. Elliot stroked his back, and George sighed contentedly into his mouth.

"When can we go home?" George asked, pulling away. "We told Maureen and Kathleen we'd-"

"I already told them I'd call when I found out, and to just eat frozen pizzas and stuff until we got back," Elliot said, laughingly slightly. "But I think the doctor said it would only be a few more hours, if you stop being dehydrated."

"Well, the anti-nausea meds worked," George muttered happily. "I guess we'll just have to buy some ginger ale on the way home for when the morning sickness reoccurs."

"I remember a few tricks," Elliot said. He pulled George in tighter. "God, this is so incredible. I'm so happy."

"I'm glad. You deserve it," George murmured.

"You deserve to be happy too. And I know it won't be because of the baby yet, but I think I know of something else..." Elliot said, his voice becoming husky. He took George's ear into is mouth, licking it.

"Are we... Are we even allowed to have sex when I'm like this?" George asked, giving an almost inaudible groan.

"I'll ask the doctor when we leave. But if not, there's always other things..." Elliot said.

"Sounds like a plan to me," George said. He kissed Elliot's throat, biting lightly, before pulling back and resting his head on Elliot's shoulder. Elliot shifted him so that his back was against Elliot's chest.

George's worries vanished for a while, and he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of happiness Elliot was exuding. It was the happiest he'd ever seen him, and the joy was almost contagious. Maybe he wouldn't like this right away, but we was liking the idea more and more by the minute.


	4. Chapter 4

George was finally discharged a few hours later. Elliot helped him to the car, which was thankfully air conditioned- George had been feeling extremely sensitive to heat the last few days.

"I can't wait to tell everyone," Elliot said happily as he started the car.

"Elliot..." George sighed softly, biting his lip. "I know you want to tell everyone, but I really just..."

"Well, let's wait until the news story airs, at least," Elliot said. "Then we can decide who to tell, or not. I think we should tell the kids, but no one else needs to know for a while."

"I can live with that," George said, nodding. "I'm just worried at how they'll react. It's hard enough for them to accept our relationship as it is. Then when they find out I'm a pregnant man... for one, that'll make them see me differently, and then once the baby itself arrives, it'll complicate things much further. Even if they are older, they'll still feel replaced and neglected."

"We'll work past it," Elliot said confidently. "We'll work it out so that the kids will be okay with our relationship and you being pregnant, and we'll be able to enjoy having a baby of our own. If I was with a woman and we were having a child, they'd be upset but they'd get over it eventually, and that's what'll happen with you. They need to just learn to accept it already."

"Yeah," George said, nodding. "They will soon, I think."

"I think so too. Things will be much easier once that happens," Elliot said.

George nodded again and rubbed his stomach absently, thinking about what was to come. The weight gain would be unpleasant, to say the least. But on the other hand, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, if he had Elliot's support. And he was warming up to the idea of having a baby and raising it. Elliot loved kids, and this was already making him so happy, and seeing Elliot happy made George happy, too.

George sighed softly, looking at his stomach- except it wasn't just his stomach, anymore. He was sharing it.

He wondered if this was how all the other men had felt when the doctors had told them the same thing, if they'd felt just as upset and alienated from their lovers, if they'd felt like they had been living some sort of lie.

Maybe there would be enough pregnant men for there to be a support group of some kind, George thought. That would help things a lot, though the idea that there was a baby in his stomach bothered him less by the minute. He'd be able to work through all his issues, and it would be worth it to have a baby of his own. But having someone else to talk to, who was in his situation, definitely wouldn't hurt.

He rested his head on Elliot's shoulder, sighing softly and closing his eyes. Elliot smiled and took a hand off the steering wheel to stroke his hair.

They arrived at the house a few minutes later. It was mid-afternoon, so everyone was parked in front of the air conditioner when they walked in.

"We're home!" Elliot called.

"Hey," Kathleen said.

"How are you guys?" Elliot asked, sitting down on the sofa.

"We're fine," Lizzie replied.

"Hungry," Dickie added.

"I'll see if I can make something," Elliot said, standing up. He kissed George on the lips quickly before departing.

George looked at Elliot's kids, and he could see the irritated expression on their faces. He knew they were angry at being reminded that he and Elliot were actually together, not just roommates like they had said for the first few months they'd been together.

He sighed inwardly. It was already looking like making a connection with them would be almost impossible. And then he'd have to tell them that he and Elliot were having a baby together, that he was a pregnant man...

"So, what did you do today?" George asked, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Nothing. We waited for you to get home," Kathleen said, shrugging.

None of them had asked if he was okay, George thought sadly. But then again, if he was home already, it went without saying that he was healthy.

George sighed inwardly; he had always had trouble communicating with Elliot's kids, and he didn't know how to start a conversation with them.

Fortunately, Elliot walked in at that moment. "I made some sandwiches," He announced.

George smiled and grabbed one from him. He took a few bites, but then the nausea returned.

"Um- I'll be right back-" He stammered, running towards the bathroom. He leaned over the toilet and vomited, clutching his stomach.

Elliot came in, carrying the anti-nausea medicine the hospital had prescribed. "Take this, and I'll make you some tea," Elliot said.

George nodded and swallowed the pills shakily. He leaned against Elliot, who half guided, half carried him to the bedroom. Elliot eased him onto the bed and kissed his forehead before walking back to the kitchen.

George was almost asleep by the time Elliot returned with the tea. He yawned and sat up to drink it, smiling softly as Elliot pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked, stroking George's stomach.

George smiled again and said, "Yeah, I am."

He leaned back as Elliot continued to rub his stomach. It would feel a lot different once his stomach was big and round, George thought with a sigh.

"So, we should really start to work on your relationship with the kids," Elliot said softly.

George nodded. "I don't think they like me much, but they may warm up to me eventually."

"They'd better," Elliot grumbled. "They need to understand that I love you, and even though Kathy is still their mom, I'm with you, not her. They need to realize that they don't need to accept you as a father, but they do need to accept that you're part of their lives and mine."

"Hopefully the baby won't set that back," George said with a sigh. "It might bother them more than anything."

"Well, they'll get over it," Elliot said.

George nodded and decided to change the subject, at least partially. He set his tea to the side and asked, "What do you think that news story is going to be like? And do you think people will believe it?"

"I think it'll be a little weird, but still, people will believe it," Elliot replied.

George nodded again. "That's what I think, too. I'm not looking forward to telling people, though."

"Bu-uuut," Elliot said, shifting to kiss George's stomach, "Think about when you get a giant tummy. And then we'll have our baby..."

"Just that easy, huh?" George asked, teasingly. The fact that he felt able to joke about it was a good sign, he knew; it meant he was beginning to accept it.

"Yep. Aside from you being so hormonal you make a dragon look friendly, and you craving the strangest combination of foods imaginable, of course," Elliot replied.

"And you promise not to tease me once I get fat?" George asked. Elliot rested his head on George's chest, and George smiled softly, stroking the other man's hair.

"I won't tease, as long as I get to pet it and talk to the baby a lot," Elliot vowed.

George laughed softly, and enjoyed the feeling for a few moments. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, he thought.

Suddenly feeling much more lighthearted, he tugged Elliot upwards and said, smirking, "Hey, I want to cash in on that plan you had to cheer me up."

"But you don't need it now," Elliot said innocently.

"I think I'm having my first craving. But it's for you," George said.

"Well, in that case, how can I resist?" Elliot asked, grinning. He shifted upwards and pulled George into a deep, passionate kiss.

With his lover so thoroughly excited, happy, and playful, George found his worry slipping away completely. Things would work out fine, he decided. He'd get annoyed occasionally, but this would be worth it.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

* * *

George groaned as he laid flat on his back, Elliot nipping and kissing his chest and occasionally detouring to lick his nipples.

"El, god, please! Elliot!" He cried as Elliot's hands strayed, teasing his aching cock and heavy balls, then moving to his thighs. Elliot cupped George's ass and spread his cheeks playfully, driving him crazy with need.

"You want me, huh?" Elliot asked lightly. "It sure looks like you do…"

"God, El, why do you have to-" He moaned as Elliot moved one hand to grip his dick again, sending another lightning bolt of arousal radiated from his cock through his entire body, and gasped out, "Unnh, why do you always have to be such a tease? Can't you just not make me work for it this one time?"

Moving a finger inwards to rub George's entrance teasingly, Elliot replied, "Because getting you worked up is much more fun. I could just give you what you want and get you off right away, but what would be the fun in that?"

"Oooh, Elliot…" George groaned, letting his head fall back. "God, please, get in me now! I want you, I want you so bad!" He cried.

Elliot smirked, deciding to give in. "Who am I to refuse such a request?" He asked lightly. He grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand, slicking his fingers with a generous amount and pushing one inside his lover.

Inhaling sharply, George arched off the bed, pushing against Elliot, and groaned in pleasure. He fisted his hands in the sheets and demanded, "Hurry up! Fuck me, Elliot! Get in me now!"

"You're such a pushy bottom," Elliot told him, smirking. But he obliged, slowly inserting a second finger, probing gently, and quickly found George's prostate. George's legs jerked in reaction, and he pushed back, a shudder of pleasure racking his frame.

Elliot added a third finger, stretching him further, and was rewarded with a soft gasp and then a breathy moan when his searching fingers found George's prostate again and stroked. He thrusted his fingers in and out, hitting that spot inside him again and again. George's eyes closed and his muscles gradually began to relax around Elliot's fingers.

Elliot soon decided that watching George get so worked up was even more arousing than fucking him would be. He waited until George opened his eyes expectantly, then he twisted his fingers, eliciting a gasp, and used his free hand to touch himself. George licked his lips, mesmerized by the overwhelmingly arousing sight in front of him.

Groaning quietly, Elliot gave himself a few hard, fast strokes, while thrusting his fingers into George just as roughly, obliging every time George cried, "Harder! Faster, Elliot!"

George panted for breath, and eventually began to shudder, clenching his eyes shut and groaning, "El, I'm close, I'm so close… Keep doing exactly what you're doing…"

Elliot obliged, stroking himself frantically as he watched George's face and heard the almost constant groans. A few moments later, George yelled, "Elliot, I'm gonna- I'm gonna-" and came, mouth agape as warm fluid left him. He shuddered heavily, muscles convulsing in pleasure as he gave a loud moan.

The sight was enough to tip Elliot over the edge. His release hit unexpectedly hard, making him cry out and leaving him weak. He collapsed on top of George, completely worn out and panting for breath.

"Jesus, Elliot," George panted, opening his eyes.

"Yeah," Elliot gasped, resting his head under George's chin, burying his face in George's neck.

George inhaled deeply, resting his chin comfortably on Elliot's head. After a few moments of staying there, Elliot pulled away and grabbed a towel from the nightstand, cleaning himself and George up. Then he laid down next to George, pulling him close and letting George set his head over his heart.

"I love you," Elliot murmured, kissing the top of George's head.

George sighed softly in contentment, listening to the strong rhythm of Elliot's heartbeat, and said, "I love you too. You know though, this is going to be really rough once the baby gets here."

"Trust me, there are ways around that," Elliot said, smirking.

George laughed and stroked Elliot's ribs. "I'll take your word for it."

"Did this make you feel better, though?" Elliot asked lightly.

"Yeah, that was great cheer-up sex," George said, returning Elliot's smirk with one of his own.

"Good," Elliot laughed, placing a light kiss on George's head again.

Silence fell, both men relaxing and enjoying the comfortable quiet. After a few minutes, George fell asleep on top of Elliot/ Elliot remembered how tired pregnancy had made Kathy, and, he supposed, it would have the same effect on George. He smiled, thinking about the baby. They had a lot of planning to do, both for the pregnancy itself and for when the baby arrived.

Elliot shifted George so that he was positioned more comfortably on top of him. George gave a tired noise, and Elliot stroked his back, easing him back to sleep. Then he relaxed, closing his eyes and letting sleep overtake him.

* * *

Elliot woke up to the loud sounds of retching. He winced and stood, walking towards the bathroom. George was sitting in front of the toilet, vomiting violently.

He looked up at Elliot and, panting for breath, said, "I don't know how women do this. This is hell and it's only been one month!"

"Kathy's morning sickness went away after a few months. So did the fatigue," Elliot said. "Some other stuff might start soon in it's place, though." He shifted awkwardly as he spoke.

"Do you think-" George leaned back as the nausea abated- "Do you think my pregnancy will be similar enough to a woman's so that I can look this stuff up? I mean, as a doctor, I know the basics, but my specialty is psychiatry- I don't know exactly what happens when and what my symptoms will be each week."

"We could always ask that obstetrician you got referred to, Doctor Weston," Elliot said with a nod. He bit his lip thoughtfully. "You know, it's really amazing that there's enough guys this has happened to that there's actually a specialist out there."

"Yeah, it's pretty interesting," George said. He stood shakily, gratefully accepting Elliot steadying arm under his shoulders. He leaned heavily into Elliot, sighing and closing his eyes. "I'm worn out," He murmured wearily.

"I know," Elliot said, kissing his temple. "I'll get you some of the anti-nausea medicine, and then you can lie down."

"Sounds good," George said quietly. Elliot guided him into the bedroom and eased him down onto the bed. He grinned softly and joked, "Maybe I'm not pregnant after all, and this baby is just the doctors covering up that they don't know what the hell kind of stomach bug I have."

Elliot set his hand on George's stomach. "Only time will tell," He teased. "I think you scared the baby into hiding. I can't find it."

"Yeah, because my stomach is still blessedly flat for a few more months," George retorted, removing several pills from the bottle and swallowing them with a large gulp of water. "I don't exactly want to look like there's a balloon under my shirt."

"You never know until you try," Elliot said. He wrapped an arm around George's chest, hugging him gently. "You might just find that the look suits you."

"You may as well paint a bulls-eye over my suit every time I go in to work," George said, rolling his eyes. Then he frowned and asked, seriously, "What are we going to do about that, by the way? Once I start showing, you know, and my stomach gets all big and round, it's really going to be a disadvantage, and the perps be able to see it and use it against me. If one of my patients or a perp flips, they could end up hurting the baby."

"We'll figure something out," Elliot assured him. "I'll go with you everywhere if I have to. Once we come out and tell the team about our situation, they'll hopefully understand and let me protect you at work."

"Or," George said pessimistically, "They'll make me start profiling for another unit or go back to the FBI and then, at best, I'll have some uniform guard me."

"It'll work, baby," Elliot murmured, stroking George's hair. "No matter what we have to do, it'll happen somehow. The baby will be safe, and you'll still get to do what you love."

"Okay," George said, nodding. He sighed softly, thinking about everything that would change. "This is going to be so difficult, though. Every step of the way."

"It'll be worth it, though," Elliot said. He moved his other hand, setting it on George's stomach, and stroked gently. "Once the baby's born, it'll all be worth it."

George placed his hand over Elliot's. "I agree," He said. "I think the hardest thing will be telling everyone close to us- especially Kathy and the kids- and working around other people who won't approve and will be vocal about it."

"Let's worry about that later, okay?" Elliot requested gently. "You're worn out; you shouldn't worry about that right now. Get some rest."

George nodded, giving a quiet sigh as he felt Elliot stroking his hair. His eyes drifted closed, and he relaxed against Elliot.

Elliot watched George slowly fall asleep, thinking about everything that had been said. He knew his family would have a hard time with it, and as for everyone else, it was hit-and-miss; he could only wait and see who approved and who didn't.

He both dreaded and looked forward to the news story about the pregnant men. On the one hand, he wanted to tell everyone sooner rather than later, but on the other hand, telling them would change everything, and they'd never be able to go back. He wanted to get that over with, as much as he wanted everything to stay the same.

"Your thinking is keeping me up," George complained sleepily. "I can always tell when you're bothered by something, and then I can't sleep."

"Sorry," Elliot muttered, pulling George closer. "I'll tell you later."

"Okay," George agreed, nuzzling Elliot's neck. "Love you."

"You too," Elliot replied, embracing George tightly. "I really do love you."

Several minutes later, George's breathing deepened and became more even, indicating that he had fallen asleep. Elliot smiled at the sight; his lover always looked so peaceful when he was this sleeping this deeply.

"Enjoy that while you can, George," He said under his breath, with an almost silent laugh. "Once the baby gets here, believe me, that's going to change. Just eight more months..."

"Mm-hmm," George hummed, tightening his grip around Elliot's waist.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry this took so long! I'll try to be better about updating in the future. Please review!

* * *

The rest of the week passed quickly, and before Elliot and George knew it, the news story about the pregnant men had aired.

They sat in the living room with Kathleen, Lizzie and Dickie, watching the various scientists giving their explanations for why men were getting pregnant. A combination of genetic and environmental factors, they said. Not all men would have this ability, but many would. They had only noticed it in homosexual couples, although with a sperm donor it would be theoretically possible for straight men to get pregnant if the other factors were there.

None of the newscasters called it unnatural, but they did call it odd and bizarre, even laughing at one point. They also reported that many conservative groups had begun to call the phenomenon unnatural and were trying to put a stop to it.

George shifted uncomfortably on the couch as he watched, losing himself in his thoughts. Why him? He really would have been just fine with adopting, if he had to have kids. Since Elliot was so excited, he was starting to accept the idea of being pregnant, but still. Why did he have to be one of the few to have the right combination of genetics to make this possible?

Making sure no one was watching him, he looked down and set a hand on his stomach. He did _not _want to think about what it would look like in a few months. He could already tell that people- the accepting ones, at least- were going to be putting their hands all over his stomach once he started showing, and that was the _least_ of the annoyances ahead.

At least the morning sickness had gotten somewhat better and would eventually go away, he thought with a huff. He still threw up every now and again, but the meds were helping.

Then he began to worry about preparing for the baby. On the weeks when Elliot's kids were with them, they had Dickie in one room, and Lizzie and Kathleen in their own rooms. When Maureen came to visit, she either slept on the sofa-bed or they had Kathleen and Lizzie share a room for the night. How were they going to fit a baby in the house? He or she could share his and Elliot's room, he supposed, but he felt that a baby should have a nursery of its own. But if they moved into a bigger house, it would end up being too big for them within a few years, once Kathleen and, later, the twins had moved out.

Maybe they could have Kathleen and Lizzie share a room, have Maureen use the sofa-bed every time she came to visit, and then use the extra room for the baby. He didn't want to overcrowd them like that, but then again, they were only here every other week- they had plenty of space at Kathy's. And maybe they wouldn't consider it that big a deal, or at least would understand that they wanted a nursery for the baby, and wouldn't be too mad about it.

He couldn't help but smile softly at the thought of decorating a nursery. Elliot would have so much fun taking him shopping and setting up a crib. They'd squabble good-naturedly over colors and themes, whether to go with something gender-neutral or not, whether to use wallpaper...

When the story about the pregnant men ended a minute later and some game show's theme came on, Elliot smiled and turned to George. "Want to tell them now?"

"Tell us what?" Kathleen asked sharply. "Are you one of _them_?" She inclined her head towards the TV.

George nodded. "I… yes, I am one of them. I have the ability to become pregnant, and I am. I'm pregnant. Elliot and I found out last week when I had to go to the ER. That's why I was so nauseated and I was vomiting so much." He paused for a moment, taking in the incredulous reactions of the three kids. "I'm about one month along. Your father and I are nervous and a little confused, but also happy. We hope…" He swallowed. "We know you need a little time to adjust, and you're still not okay with me and your dad being together, and we accept that that'll take some time, but we hope that you'll be happy about this, too."

Silence reigned for a few long seconds.

"Congratulations," Lizzie mumbled awkwardly.

"How does it feel, being pregnant? And how does that work?" Dickie asked.

"Does anyone else know?" Kathleen added.

George smiled softly and said, "Thanks, Lizzie, no, Kathleen, and Dickie, it's hard to explain." And embarrassing, he wanted to say, but didn't. "Basically, it's like the scientists explained. I have the right genetic predisposition and the environment was right, and I developed… certain needed female parts. I don't, and won't, have all of them, just the necessary. As it is, the baby will have to be delivered by c-section," he explained.

"Isn't that dangerous, though?" Lizzie asked.

George gave a small smile. "Yes, but it'll be worth it."

"Dad, how do you feel about this?" Kathleen demanded, turning towards Elliot. Kathleen had had the hardest time adjusting of all the Stabler kids. Maureen and Lizzie were still not happy about it, but they tolerated George a lot better than Dickie and Kathleen. He and Elliot having a baby together would either make them finally warm up to him, or it would absolutely cement their dislike.

"I'm very happy about it, Kathleen," Elliot said softly. "I love you all so much, but I've been wanting a new baby or younger kid for quite a while because you're all growing up so fast. Your mother and I are still on good terms, and she knows that she still has a place in my heart. You all always will, too, and this baby won't change that. He or she will never replace you. The baby will require a lot of attention and care, but George and I will still do the best we can with you."

"Okay," Kathleen murmured, looking into her lap. All five of them got quiet.

"I do want you all to be part of the baby's life," George said quietly, breaking the silence. "I think you'd make great aunts and uncles."

Lizzie bit her lip, looking at him for a long moment, but then she nodded. "I think that would be sort of fun," she admitted.

But neither Dickie nor Kathleen agreed with her, if their silences were any indication.

"Well," Elliot said finally, "Dickie, Lizzie, you have homework to do. Kathleen, would you mind doing the dishes? George and I wanted to take a walk."

"Fine," Kathleen huffed, while the twins retreated to their rooms.

George actually hadn't known Elliot wanted to take a walk, but it only took him a moment to realize he was doing it to give them both a minute to regroup. He pulled his shoes on- he always wore socks around the house unless he was in bed or the bathtub- and waited until Elliot joined him at the door.

They stepped out into the warm night air, and George relaxed. He held Elliot's hand as they walked around the neighborhood, listening to the sounds of dogs barking and a few kids playing a few houses down.

"So," Elliot said, "Are you okay?"

George nodded. "Fine. I wish they'd be more accepting, but I can't say I'm surprised. I hope the baby will bring us all together, though. But it's going to be a make or break sort of deal, I think."

Elliot sighed. "I know it isn't easy for them, since not only did I leave their mom, I got with another guy right after. I know that's a hell of a lot to adjust to and all, since Kathy and I raised them in such a strict Catholic household, but they should be more understanding. Still, that's my fault. I should have raised them to be more accepting. Being Catholic doesn't mean you have to think homosexuality is wrong or a sin. Still, maybe they'll come around. Any kid in their right mind would love having you as a parent."

George blushed. "Thanks, El." But he frowned, looking downwards. "Do you really think I'm going to be good at this? Being a father? Being a sort-of father figure to three teenagers and one adult is different than raising a baby."

"I mean it," Elliot said. He stopped George and set his hands on his hips, turning him around. "You don't have to be an expert at the start to be a good father. Kathy and I were flying blind when we had Maureen, but all four turned out okay. A lot of it comes naturally and what doesn't, can always be learned. Our kid isn't going to grow up in a broken home like the kids we see everyday. They aren't going to hear about the cases we deal with until they're old enough to handle it. If we both get called in on a case or our hours are too long, we can get family and friends to babysit. They're going to be happy and healthy."

George smiled. "Okay. I'm just so nervous, you know?"

Elliot laughed. "When Kathy was pregnant with Maureen, she fretted so much that I worried she was going to hurt herself. It's normal to be nervous with a first kid. And given your, ah, situation, you have even more to be worried about."

"You can say that again," George said, giving a downcast look. "I really hope nothing goes wrong with the baby."

"Hey, it'll be fine," Elliot said, leaning forward and kissing George softly. "No worrying. Nothing's going to go wrong."

"Okay," George said, but he didn't look entirely sure. He turned and grabbed Elliot's hand again as he started walking.

"Do you think it's going to be a boy or a girl?" Elliot asked lightly.

"I don't know. I kind of want a girl, though," George confessed, smiling. "In my family, I was the oldest and the next boy wasn't until three kids later. My sisters always made me play dolls with them and even though I pretended to hate it, I sort of liked taking care of things. That's why I became a doctor, and I wanted to do something a little more nurturing than forensic psychiatry until I took that course in college and changed my mind. Anyway, when my sisters made me play with them, I always imagined the dolls being girls. If it's a girl, I'm not going to make her do girly things if she doesn't want to, and I'm not going to make her do boyish things if she doesn't want to, but I would still want to dress her up and do her hair."

"I think you want a boy, though," he continued. "And don't say you just want him or her healthy, because even though I want the baby to be a girl, I want that too."

Elliot laughed softly. "Okay, I do want a boy. Dickie's the only boy out of my kids and it would be fun to have another boy. And by the way, how many siblings did you have all in all?"

"Four. My parents stopped after the next boy, Samuel, was born. My sisters are, in order, Grace, Nora, and Jennifer," George said.

"I had three brothers, James, Luke, and Joseph Junior, and two sisters, Mary and Anne," Elliot said. "I was the oldest of my family too." He smiled sadly. "I don't like talking about my family much, though."

"I don't like talking about my family either," George confessed. He looked up at the sky. "It's getting late, want to head back?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Elliot replied. He wrapped one arm around George's waist. "Whether we have a boy or girl, I'm so happy and excited. This is going to be amazing, George," he said. "I'm so happy we're together. I love you."

George turned and smiled back at him, standing on his toes to kiss Elliot softly. "I love you too," he whispered.

They embraced tightly, and stayed there for several moments, in a happy, peaceful silence. Then they broke away and walked back home.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I had decided what gender the baby was going to be when I started this story, but it's nice to know what you guys think! :) You'll find out soon enough. This chapter is mostly just a bit of filler with some angst and fluff. Next chapter they tell the squad, and then Elliot has a talk with the kids. Reviews are very much appreciated! They inspire me to update faster. *Wink, wink*

* * *

"So," Elliot said casually, "Are you ready to tell everyone tomorrow?"

George yawned and flopped onto the bed. "I suppose. I'm not exactly enthusiastic about all the awkward questions and everything but it'll be worth it. And considering how awkward I've felt the last week, seeing them every day but not telling them, it'll be a bit of a relief to get it out there."

Elliot nodded. "Same here. And I think they'll be happy for us."

"I hope so," George said. "I mean, I don't think they're going to judge us for being together, they aren't like that. But I'm not sure how they'll feel about a man being pregnant. I still don't think they'll treat me differently, but they might not like it."

"That's possible, but like you said, I definitely don't think they'll treat us differently. Least of all Liv," Elliot said. Olivia had actually had a big part in getting them together. She'd helped them get past the awkward 'I think I have feelings for you, what do I do now?' stage several years earlier, and that had been enough to get them to try a relationship. Without her they might have never gotten together.

"She'll be happy for us," George said, smiling softly. He yawned again, cuddling against Elliot as he pulled the blanket over both of them. "She'll probably badger us for updates constantly."

Elliot laughed and agreed, "Yeah, probably." He wrapped his arms around George's waist tightly and kissed the top of his head. George smiled and relaxed at the contact, enjoying the moment. "But no one will-"

He didn't get to finish; George suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of nausea crash over him. He tugged the blanket off, wanting to hurry to the bathroom, but he wasn't nearly fast enough and he vomited on the blanket.

"Hey, are you okay?" Elliot asked, setting a hand on his back and rubbing gently.

George held his stomach as he panted for breath and waited for his stomach to calm down.

"Sh-shit El, I'm sorry," he gasped once he had recovered some. He felt tears stinging in his eyes from embarrassment and guilt. He'd ruined the moment and had made a mess of everything. Not to mention how awful he felt now. His stomach was churning and it _hurt_- he suddenly felt exhausted and sore all over.

"Hey, it's okay," Elliot soothed. He stood and moved to George's side of the bed, setting his arm under George's knee. "I'm going to pick you up, okay?" he said.

George nodded once. Elliot lifted him bridal style and he wrapped his arms around Elliot's neck to secure himself. He closed his eyes, too tired to keep them open, but he fought not to fall asleep.

Elliot removed the blanket with one hand and then set George back on the bed. He left the room, presumably to put the blanket in the washer. George listened to Elliot's footsteps and the sounds of the doors opening and closing. He opened his eyes again as he felt the bed dip with Elliot's weight.

"You okay?" Elliot asked, dropping a spare blanket over him.

George nodded miserably. "Just feel sick is all," he mumbled.

"Okay. Well, I found a pan you can use if you get too nauseated and can't make it to the bathroom again," Elliot said. He looked at George and gave a sad, sympathetic smile. "I know you don't feel too good, but it will get better soon."

George sighed. "I know. I had been feeling better for a few days before, but now… just…" He huffed. "I'm tired of feeling sick. I had just gotten to the point that I was okay with being pregnant and then I had to be reminded why I don't like it." He shifted under the blanket. "I feel like I have the worst stomach flu imaginable."

"I know," Elliot said softly. He leaned over and kissed George's forehead. "Go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

"Only if you lay with me," George muttered, leaning his head closer to Elliot's lips.

"Of course I will. I wouldn't have it any other way," Elliot said, smiling. He leaned back and tugged George close to him, setting George's head on his chest. He set his hand on the back of George's head, massaging gently.

George smiled and relaxed at the touch. Despite what had just happened, he still felt happy, even more so with Elliot lying with him. "Love you," he murmured, closing his eyes.

"You too," Elliot replied.

George fell asleep quickly, which didn't surprise Elliot at all. The pregnancy had to be exhausting, even more so considering that a man's body just wasn't made for it.

He spent a few minutes watching George sleep, thinking worriedly. Through all three of her pregnancies, Kathy had never gotten morning sickness bad enough to have to be in the hospital, even for observation. And yet George had- proof that it was much harder for men. If the pregnancy was already taking such a heavy toll on George, what would happen when it got to the later stages?

He had assured George that nothing would go wrong, but he also knew that this was going to be much harder than it would have been if George was a woman. What if something did go wrong with George or the baby? He didn't want to think about George being in danger, but he worried that that was the way things were heading.

They had an appointment with the obstetrician specializing in men the next weekend, so hopefully she would be able to assuage their concerns. They were still in relatively uncharted territory, since only about a thousand men had gotten pregnant before and most of them hadn't had their babies yet, but from what he had heard, she had gotten most of her patients through their pregnancies successfully and had actually reported a low fatality rate, comparable to what women who got C-sections could expect. He couldn't trust a doctor he hadn't met yet completely, but the figures spoke for themselves and he was confident that Doctor Weston would get George through it safely, and make sure the baby he already loved arrived safely as well.

He smiled softly as he looked at George's sleeping form. That was the truth; he already loved their baby. He couldn't wait until he or she was born.

He set his hand on George's stomach gently, and whispered, "I'm going to make sure you and your daddy are okay. I'm going to protect both of you. If you're as strong as he is and you promise to fight if anything goes wrong, I promise you'll get here safe and sound. It won't be easy, but that's how it goes." He smiled again and leaned closer to George, kissing his forehead and keeping his arm around George's stomach. George made a soft sound, but quieted as Elliot pulled him into his arms and held him.

"I love you," Elliot whispered, kissing the top of George's head. He looked skyward, thankful for the miracle he'd been given, before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.

He woke to the sounds and smells of breakfast cooking. His stomach growled as he registered the smells of pancakes, eggs, and his favorite; bacon. Grinning in anticipation, he rose off the bed and pulled on a pair of pants and shirt, then walked to the bathroom and brushed his teeth.

He walked into the kitchen and saw George at the oven, frying some bacon. The twins were eating some pancakes and eggs. Kathleen wasn't there, but when Elliot glanced at the clock- 7:30- he realized that she had already left for school.

"Morning," Elliot said, walking up to George.

George smiled and turned around. "Hey," he said, flipping the bacon over.

"This looks great," Elliot said, looking at the two plates sitting on the counter.

"Thanks," George said softly. "I just figured I could use the practice, you know? You can cook pretty well, but I haven't done it that much and I need to be able to at least do the basics. Just in case."

"Well, if everything comes out this good, you won't have a problem," Elliot said. He grabbed a plate and took a bite of egg, relishing the taste. It was perfect.

He looked over at Dickie and Lizzie, smile dropping a little. Dickie didn't look happy at all. Elliot wasn't sure what, specifically, was bothering him- the fact that Elliot was having a child with someone other than Kathy, or the fact that that person was a man, or some combination of those. It had to be hard for Dickie to accept all that, but Elliot still wanted to change his attitude about it.

He made a silent note to talk to him later, and Kathleen as well. He just hoped that next time Maureen came to visit and he told her, she would be accepting of it like Lizzie.

"I think this is ready," George said, holding a piece of bacon up on a fork.

Elliot nodded, brought out of his thoughts. "Looks like it," he said. He looked over at the twins and called, "Do you two want any bacon?"

"Yes, please," they both said. Elliot loaded the bacon onto a plate and set it on the table. He grabbed his and George's plates and brought them to their spots, loading a large portion of bacon next to his pancakes and eggs. They ate quietly, silence broken only when one got up to get some milk or orange juice.

Eventually, the twins left to walk to the bus stop after saying goodbye to Elliot and George. Elliot checked the clock and said, "We should get ready; we got a new case yesterday."

"I'm almost done," George promised.

Elliot looked at George's plate and saw that he had eaten quite a lot. He grinned. "Still hungry?"

"Yeah," George admitted. "Last night didn't help, and…" He shrugged. "I'm just hungry."

Elliot used a fork to lift a pancake off his plate and set it on George's. "There."

"Thank you," George said, blushing lightly. "I'll be there in a few."

"Okay," Elliot said. He wrapped an arm around George's shoulders and squeezed gently, then stood up and walked upstairs. He stripped down and stepped in the shower, turning the temperature just cool enough not to hurt, but warm enough to soothe his muscles.

The door opened and George stepped in. "Want to join me?" Elliot called.

George snorted. "Fine, but you have to promise that any… other activities won't increase the time we spend in here by more than fifty percent," he said.

"Now that's just mean," Elliot mock-pouted. He watched as George stripped down, feeling a healthy simmer of lust.

George stepped in behind him and pressed himself against Elliot's back, massaging his shoulders. Elliot sighed quietly, relaxing at the touch. George picked up a bottle of liquid soap and squeezed some onto his hand, lathering it up and lovingly washing Elliot's torso. He reached around and rubbed the soap over his chest and stomach, then slowly moved to his legs. "I love you," George whispered against his shoulder.

Elliot turned around and pulled George close. "You too," he whispered, picking the bottle of soap up and returning the favor.

George kissed his lips gently. "I know that at first I said I would be happier if we didn't have a kid of our own, but I was just afraid," he murmured. "I still am, but I really want to do this with you. I look forward to it."

"I do, too," Elliot murmured. "I'm sorry it had to happen like that- it had to have been a shock for you. I know I wouldn't react well if I found out my body had changed like that. But I'm happy that you're happy now. This isn't going to be easy but it'll be worth it."

"I think so, too," George said. "I know there are going to be times when I'm not going to like it that much, but I'll adjust, and in eight months or so it'll pay off." He smiled softly, deciding to lighten the mood a little. "No teasing me once I get fat, though, okay?"

Elliot grinned. "We'll see what I can do. You might just look too cute for me to resist."

"Finding clothes is going to be a pain in the ass," George said, frowning as he looked down. "I could always buy extra-large dress shirts, but sweaters and jackets might be a problem."

"We'll work through that when the time comes," Elliot said. He grinned mischievously. "We could always work off some calories to delay it…"

"Not right now," George said softly, embracing Elliot. "One, we're running late, two, I'm tired, and three, I just want to enjoy the moment. Later, okay?"

"Okay," Elliot said softly, resting his chin on George's head and returning the hug. He sighed softly, thinking about the things that were in store for them. Listening to the baby's heartbeat for the first time, feeling him or her kicking…

He looked down and could tell that George was thinking the same thing. He felt George smile into his skin, and he rubbed George's back in response.

They stayed in their embrace for a while longer before getting ready, happier and more hopeful than they had ever been before.

"Let's go," George said once they were dressed. He grabbed Elliot's hand, lacing their fingers.

"Okay," Elliot said, walking with him. George had a spring in his step and he was smiling radiantly. Seeing George smile like that, Elliot decided that even if he couldn't work things out with his kids, it was still worth it to see George this happy.

If things went like this through the rest of the pregnancy, maybe he wouldn't even have to worry about how much of a toll it would take on George. Maybe things would go smoothly after all.

* * *

A/N: Just a heads-up: if this story ever gets deleted from this site, I have it posted on others. Go to my profile to find the links. Thanks!


End file.
